Educators and students weigh in on proposals to lower voting age and change school-holiday law

Anahisa Gohachaudhry, a Mount Hebron sophomore, urged delegates to support HOCO 5-26 to lower the voting age to 16 for local elections, arguing that early enfranchisement strengthens lifelong voting patterns and connects civic education to practice.

Benjamin Schmidt, president of the Howard County Education Association, supported giving student members a vote on budget matters and allowing 16- and 17-year-olds to vote for school-board members, but warned of structural conflicts if multiple bills advance together. He and the association recommended adding at-large seats to avoid a 4-4 tie on an eight-member board and proposed a task force to study governance and implementation details.

Schmidt also raised concerns about HOCO 11-26 (recognition of cultural and religious holidays), noting that converting professional workdays to paid closures could unintentionally convert paid workdays to unpaid days for many 10-month employees unless the calendar is adjusted to make up time. He asked legislators to consider calendar and bargaining-unit impacts before statutory changes are enacted.

No formal votes were taken at the hearing; testimony was recorded for committee consideration.